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Taxi Brooklyn

With an awkward title and completely derivative of a couple of recent movies (on purpose), there is not much to say about this show. The premise is wholly unbelievable. Some reviews were unkind.

Personally, I enjoyed it for what it is, and I liked the two lead characters. But then I would probably watch Chyler Leigh read the phone book, as she may be the most adorable person on the planet, admittedly something I have probably said about 8 or 9 other actresses just this year. But her appeal is still undeniable, even though she is not exactly Meryl Streep. I was not impressed by the super-slick greasy ex-hubby, tho.

If you get past the unbelievability of the plot and the wooden cardboard cutouts that populate the copshop, this is still a fun show. It is also enhanced with quick-cut extreme photography and high-contrast video, both of which are not helping matters much and could be done without. The procedural aspect is a little wacky and WTF, but for now, I'm in. True Detective, it is not, but then most things aren't.

But in a season where Under The Dome is the high bar, this show is just fine. It's summer, and this is the TV equivalent of a popcorn movie.

Give it a spin.

It's usually safe to talk honestly and openly with people because they typically are not really listening anyway.

Part of the story is like Castle. Kate is always looking for who killed her mother, now this girl is looking for who killed her father. From there they are quite different...

"Quite different" indeed. Castle is one of the best procedurals on TV, with a great cast, great plots, great writing beyond the plots, and a very precise production and editing style, including the score, that really gooses the energy and the fun. I am never not in the mood for a show that good, and I hope it runs forever. At the moment off the top, I can't even think of a better show, past or present, in that genre. I feel Castle really raised the bar. Now if we could only get Nathan to stop mumbling all the time, and start to enunciate like a real actor. I guess that is the problem with actors that never cut their teeth in theatre or had to work with primitive sound reinforcement.

Taxi Brooklyn, however, I will not care if it does not last this one burn-off summer, because it really has very few of those attributes. This makes me wonder why I have 14 Castles piled up, yet I am watching TB instead. I really should be letting TB stack up, and burning through the Castles.

But the similarity you point out may be why it feels so derivative, and a little too familiar.

I really am annoyed at the name, which fits no loose grammar style anywhere in the English language. Is it backwards? Reverse the order and Brooklyn Taxi is an even lamer name. Maybe a semicolon after "Taxi"...aw who cares. But I guess if you are going to half-ass a series, half-assing the title is not too far behind.

It's usually safe to talk honestly and openly with people because they typically are not really listening anyway.

This probably has the most ludicrous story line ever put on TV, and you can drive semis, not to mention taxis, through the plot holes, but I still like it. The characters are well cast, the dialog is snappy, and the style is unique. Perfect summer fare.

"But the freedom that they fought for, and the country grand they wrought for, is their monument today, and for aye." "This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave."

Anyone still with this one? I cut it loose after three. Yeah, Chyler is adorable, but she'll always be Janey Briggs to me (NATM).

I thought it was kind of catchy at first (great auto stunt work, etc) but started getting annoyed at the camera movement and overly close close-ups. Too much for a big HDTV screen. Maybe ok if you're watching it on a phone in a non-moving environment. (I had a similar complaint with ABC's Mixology, but was able somehow to get over it and enjoy that one.)

I once theorized a possible reason for swooshing and shaking cameras was to try cover up the fact there's no registration errors when shooting w/o physical film. Some people just think it's too creepy to keep the camera locked down and the lack of even the slightest wiggle ruins the film effect. Then I think shakey cameras just became artsy-fartsy and "in." Maybe a little bit ads something to a show like this, but more than that and it's just too much.

Then when they told her Annabelle was the new "godfather," that's all I needed to push me off this storyline for good.

Anyone still with this one? I cut it loose after three. Yeah, Chyler is adorable, but she'll always be Janey Briggs to me (NATM).

I thought it was kind of catchy at first (great auto stunt work, etc) but started getting annoyed at the camera movement and overly close close-ups. Too much for a big HDTV screen. Maybe ok if you're watching it on a phone in a non-moving environment. (I had a similar complaint with ABC's Mixology, but was able somehow to get over it and enjoy that one.)

I once theorized a possible reason for swooshing and shaking cameras was to try cover up the fact there's no registration errors when shooting w/o physical film. Some people just think it's too creepy to keep the camera locked down and the lack of even the slightest wiggle ruins the film effect. Then I think shakey cameras just became artsy-fartsy and "in." Maybe a little bit ads something to a show like this, but more than that and it's just too much.

Then when they told her Annabelle was the new "godfather," that's all I needed to push me off this storyline for good.

That does seem like a request to suspend disbelief just a little too much.

I first saw CL in That 80's Show, and she was the only reason that it getting cancelled was a bummer. But "too close up"? I don't think you can shoot CL too close up. Or too often.

What do we mean by "registration errors"? Is that when the film jumps when in the gate? If so, I hardly think that is the effect that anyone is after. Film is historically associated with unwaveringly-solid dolly and crane shots, giving away to solid steadi-cam shots in the 70's, and if the film flutters in the gate that is not by design, that's a reason to shoot the scene over, or for the theatre to have their projectors serviced. Go back to Citizen Kane or The Magnificent Ambersons or anything produced by Joseph Mankeiwicz. THAT is "film look", by definition.

Shaky-cam was an accident. An abortion that someone with no taste or talent liked and emulated. It adds nothing, never has. I blame late-80's MTV for that.

And while the show might be a little over-produced as far as avante-garde shots go, I see little shaky-cam to be concerned about. This show is all about breaking the rules anyway, and about not taking itself, or the rules, too seriously. I would not be surprised to see them break the fourth wall before its all over.

It's usually safe to talk honestly and openly with people because they typically are not really listening anyway.